At the Library

The Good Daughters

A Novel

"A story of choices and events so intimate I felt I was part of it. The novel is wrenching, the emotions radiant, and it will leave readers transformed"—Luanne Rice, author of The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners

"Joyce Maynard has outdone herself in this beautifully written story you'll find hard to put down and impossible to forget."— Elizabeth Berg, author of The Last Time I Saw You

Bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Labor Day, Joyce Maynard now brings us The Good Daughters, a spellbinding novel about friendship, family secrets, and the strange, unexpected twists of fate that shape our lives. The story of two women born the same day in the same hospital, but raised in vastly different emotional environments, The Good Daughters is another high note in Maynard's already distinguished writing career.

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The story is set in New England beginning in the 1950s. Rather predictably, two girls are conceived during a storm, born in the same hospital on the same day. The richness of the story comes from each girl telling their life story in alternating chapters. The families are polar opposites with the Planks being 4th generation farmers and the Dickersons frequently moving to follow the get rich schemes of Mr. Dickerson. Each girl feels a disconnect with her respective family especially during a yearly event that has one mother visiting the other family because of the "birthday sisters". As the years pass, more and more is revealed and the true meaning of "birthday sisters" is revealed. This novel is for fans of family stories and books rich in character . Fans of Jodi Picoult or Kristin Hannah may enjoy this book.

dollfacecrafter
Sep 20, 2011

such an awesome book, a great story with wonderful characters, with an ending that leaves you satisfied

rlbecker
May 11, 2011

This is a beautiful story with some troubling parts. It deals with two girls born at the same hospital on the same day. The two families seem to be forever intertwined. One of the mothers wants to know what's going on with the other family's child most of the time. Both girls gravitate toward one of the fathers. One daughter who grows up in a stable family is drawn toward being artistic and wants to see the world. The other, who grows up in a dysfuctional family, wants more stability in her life. Some revelations come out, concerning lifestyle, incidents in the past, and finding love. One thing both girls have in common is a love of the farm that the stable family lives on. A final revelation shows how both girls are connected with each other and the stable father. This is a well-written book that keeps the reader off-guard. This would be a great book discussion title. The character development is fabulous and the scenes being set are full of both happiness and joy and much beauty.

A short read at under 300 pages, I read this in one sitting. I found that I didn't want to put it down, despite having predicted the major plot twist early on. However, there was a minor twist at the end that I hadn't fully anticipated.

I found that I developed a soft spot for Ruth, Dana and especially Edwin. I felt like I got to know them a little and was invested in their lives and their story.